1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a local area network where a number of host terminal users collaborate on a joint project using an application program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Specification Hei-6-83785 discloses a local area network in which a group of host computer terminals collaborate on a joint project by operating an application program and exchanging their results with each other so that each terminal holds an exact copy of the project. The application program, stored on each collaborating host terminal, includes a sequence of routines such as event presentation, event analysis, process execution and message communication.
However, before the host terminals start collaborating on a joint project, it is necessary to transfer files within the group as a preliminary routine, since old files resident in the individual terminals are, in most cases, not customized to the specific needs of a joint project and hence full and flexible utilization of the application program is not possible. This preliminary routine represents an extra work on the users at the host terminals.
A need therefore exists to reduce the amount of work currently performed by the computer terminal users before they collaborate on a joint project by eliminating the need to transfer files.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a local area network which automatically loads an application program onto a group of host computer terminals to allow them to operate the application program by opening files of a specified file name before they start collaborating on a joint project.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a local area network comprising plurality of interconnected host terminals each including a file management program and a management table. One of the host terminals having an application program operates as a source host and the other host terminals as destination hosts. The source host updates its management table with an application name identifying the application program and a file name, and transmits a request message to said destination hosts. Each destination host responds to the request message by acquiring the application program from the source host if the application program is nonexistent in the destination host and updates its management table with the application name and the file name. Each host terminal starts the application program by opening a file identified by the file name for collaborating on a joint project with other host terminals.
According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a storage medium for use in a plurality of interconnected host terminals. The storage medium contains a file management program for each of the host terminals, one of the host terminals having an application program being a source host and other host terminals being destination hosts. The file management program comprises the steps of (a) creating, in each of the host terminals, a management table, (b) updating the management table of the source host with an application name identifying the application program and a file name, and transmitting a request message from the source host to the destination hosts, (c) responsive to the request message at each of the destination hosts, acquiring the application program from the source host if the destination host has no possession of the application program and updating the management table thereof with the application name and the file name, and (d) starting the application program at all of the host terminals by opening a file identified by the file name in each of the terminals for collaborating on a joint project with other host terminals.
According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a file management method for use in a plurality of interconnected host terminals wherein one of the host terminals having an application program is a source host and other host terminals are destination hosts. The file management method comprises the steps of (a) creating, in each of the host terminals, a management table, (b) updating the management table of the source host with an application name identifying the application program and a file name, and transmitting a request message from the source host to the destination hosts (c) responsive to the request message at each of the destination hosts, acquiring the application program from the source host if the destination host has no possession of the application program and updating the management table thereof with the application name and the file name, and (d) starting the application program at all of the host terminals by opening a file identified by the file name in each of the terminals for collaborating on a joint project with other host terminals.